Printing's Alive

Welcome to Printing's Alive—the podcast that explores everything print and beyond! From traditional techniques to modern innovations, we dive into how print shapes industries, businesses, and our everyday lives

Colin Sinclair McDermott on Print Sales, Marketing Insights, and Community Impact

S1 E33 • Sep 2, 2025 • 70 mins

In this episode of Printing's Alive, Warren Werbitt chats with Colin Sinclair McDermott about his print industry journey. They explore Colin's career, lessons from failures, and the importance of integrity. Topics include marketing pitfalls, understanding customers, and collaboration. Colin shares insights on sales strategies, LinkedIn's impact, and direct mail's role. They discuss hiring challenges, digital-print integration, and creative direct mail ideas. The episode also covers charity work, community involvement, and print mastermind groups, ending with Colin's volunteer efforts in Africa and a Kilimanjaro trip teaser.

Key Points

Investing in consistent, personalized direct mail campaigns can significantly boost outreach and customer engagement, yet many print companies neglect this proven strategy.
Collaboration and peer group participation can provide invaluable insights and accountability, helping print businesses overcome common industry challenges and drive growth.
Embracing modern marketing techniques, including leveraging LinkedIn and AI tools, can transform traditional print sales approaches and open new avenues for business development.

Speakers

Warren Werbitt

Host • 45%

Colin Sinclair McDermott

Guest • 55%

Chapters

0:00	Introduction to the episode and guest Colin Sinclair McDermott
0:54	Colin's background in the print industry and career path discussion
4:07	Learning from business failures and the importance of integrity
10:55	Common marketing mistakes in the print industry
17:56	The necessity of understanding customers and using surveys
24:24	The role of collaborations and networking
28:20	Evolution of print sales strategies and the impact of LinkedIn
35:43	The relevance of direct mail in today's marketing
41:32	Hiring challenges and strategies for print salespeople
44:28	Integrating digital and print for marketing success
45:35	Creative direct mail concepts and Colin's volunteer work in Africa
57:23	The value of charity work and community involvement
57:51	Benefits of print mastermind and peer groups
1:03:43	Mastermind session structure and competitive knowledge sharing
1:06:09	Conclusion of the conversation with Colin and episode wrap-up
1:07:04	Sponsor: Upcoming Kilimanjaro trip
1:08:05	Final thoughts and episode closure

Transcript

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